Some Kind of Wonderful
by LunasaMactire85
Summary: Harry comes into a rare creature inheritance and decides to start living the life he's always wanted. Voldemort defeated. Does not follow book, so no character deaths. Submissive Harry. M/M creature fic. HP/DM RL/SB. Rated M just in case the story goes in that direction.
1. Chapter 1: Birthright

Some Kind of Wonderful

A Drarry Fanfiction

**WARNING:** This will be a SLASH story – meaning there will be at least one M/M relationship. If this is not your cup of tea please refrain from reading it as you will most likely be offended if you do decide to read on.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 1: Birthright

It was nearly twelve-thirty a.m. and all of the residents of Grimmauld Place were fast asleep. All except for the boy who lived in the dank house at number twelve with his godfathers Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Despite the time, or perhaps because of it, seventeen-year-old Harry Potter was in his en suite bathroom staring thoughtfully into the full-length mirror.

Harry Potter was the-boy-who-lived. The wizarding world steadfastly believed that he could never be anything more than that. Harry was expected to act accordingly to please the masses and uphold their skewed image of their savior.

Harry did as he was told for the most part, although he drew the line at becoming romantically involved with Ginny Weasley as most people urged him to do. He knew that his friends Ron and Hermione thought they would make a good couple, but he couldn't bring himself to get involved with someone when he knew it could never work out. She could never be his type. Harry's friends and the wizarding world had never asked or even seemed to care about his type though. They only saw what they wanted to and never looked past the surface.

The truth was very different than their preconceived notions about him. He liked the Slytherins, found the Gryffindors annoying, and absolutely despised the fame and accolades that came with his name. Yet somehow, despite his own feelings on the matter, here he was living the life of the Gryffindor golden boy, life-long enemy of the Slytherins, and hero of the wizarding world. He supposed he might have continued to live his life in this depressing fashion if not for him turning seventeen not half an hour before.

This was obviously no surprise to the boy considering every year of the first eleven years of his life he spent each July thirtieth counting down the minutes until his birthday. However, this year he came into his full magical inheritance and became an adult in the eyes of the wizarding world. It was well known that, in addition to their regular magical inheritance, many young witches and wizards also came into some form of creature inheritance on their seventeenth birthday. All Hogwarts students were required to take a supplementary course regarding such inheritances during their sixth year.

Harry silently catalogued his features and thanked the fates that he was no longer living with the Dursleys. He shivered in fear at the thought of what his uncle might have done to him if he was around to see the new additions to his slight frame. He shook those thoughts away and concentrated on examining his reflection and recalling what he learned in class.

Poking out from a mess of silky black hair was a pair of pointy ears that twitched unconsciously, like that of a cat. He raked his eyes down lower past the large black wings that sprouted from his shoulder blades, past the sharp looking claws he could extend or retract at will, and settled his gaze on the matching long coal black tail that seemed to sprout from the base of his spine. It also reminded him of a cat and was lazily flicking from side to side. In addition to the more obvious changes his vision had also been enhanced – he no longer required his glasses and when he concentrated he could read the words in the book sitting on the desk twenty feet away in his bedroom. As he marveled over the changes he suddenly remembered a passage in his textbook and ran to his room to dig out the book so he could refresh his memory.

_One of the rarest creature inheritances is that of the Ichobas (pronounced ick-oh-bus)._

_Ichobas are an evolution of the Neko and Ravenblood species. They are identified by their wings, ears, claws, and tail. They are said to have supersensitive hearing and sight. They have a habit of collecting shiny objects and are often deeply possessive of their treasures._

_There have been no recorded inheritances in the last 300 years. This is probably due to the conditions surrounding the inheritance._

_For a witch or wizard carrying the Ichobas gene to receive the inheritance he must be able to handle the raw power that these creatures are able absorb and manipulate. _

_All Ichobas are inherently submissive and will require a dominant mate to be truly content. Once a dominant mate is found and accepted the Ichobas will gain the ability to conceive a child regardless of their gender. This is to ensure the continuation of the species even though the gene may not show up again for many generations._

_Ichobas are very peaceful and nurturing creatures unless their dominant or children are threatened. If the Ichobas feels that their family has been threatened they are able to call upon any forces around them to protect their loved ones._

_For more information on Neko or Ravenblood please refer to the index._

Harry returned the book to the shelf and let out a slightly hysterical chuckle. It would just figure that he received an inheritance that hadn't been seen in three hundred years. Not to mention the fact that he was now able to draw in even more magical energy from his surroundings. Although he didn't think he would ever be required to do that considering he had already received an overwhelming amount of power from his magical inheritance. He had so much power now that he could practically feel his magic dancing in the air around him and could control it with a mere thought or wave of his hand.

This time his chuckle was full of amusement although the hysteria hadn't completely faded from it. It was ironic that he had come into so much power when there was no longer any imminent threatening situation in which it might be helpful.

Harry had defeated He-Who-Must-Have-Sinus-Problems just before the end of Christmas break last year. He had managed it by using a complex mix of ancient runes and spells. The solution had been discovered by Bill on the walls of an Egyptian tomb that had recently been unearthed in the heart of the Blue Desert.

The hieroglyphs in the tomb told the story of the early Egyptian wizards who created the curse for the sole purpose of defeating the Dark Lord Akhekh. Akhekh was said to be immortal even more heinous than Moldy Fart.

It was a rare bit of luck that the spell reached out to his followers through the connection of the dark mark. Anyone that was truly loyal to 'ol snake face or his ideals perished along with their leader. Those who weren't loyal found themselves finally free from his hold with no trace of the mark remaining. Harry had been surprised that Snape and the Malfoys had been included in the group of nonbelievers.

As his mental wanderings brought him around to the Malfoys Harry made his ways over to his bed and climbed in after pulling his wings close to his back. He would give anything to be able to put the past behind him and befriend Draco and his family. His friends would not like that at all, especially considering how powerful he now was. There was also the possibility of renewing the rumors of his aim to be the next dark lord. He snorted at the thought of how positively silly the name the Dark Lord Harry sounded in his head.

Unfortunately, thoughts of his friends brought a new concern to mind - Dumbledore.

As much as he cared for Dumbledore there was no way he could allow the manipulative old coot any influence or control over himself and the vast amount of power he now held. Merlin only knew what Dumbledore would try to request of Harry in the name of the greater good. This was going to be his final year at Hogwarts and would be the first without some sort of evil hanging over him waiting to strike.

Harry rolled over once more and sighed in frustration as his thoughts conspired to keep him from a restful night's sleep. It seemed to him that he only had one possible course of action. He would have to finally break free of the mold everyone was trying to force him into. He would have to endeavor to be true to himself for the first time in sixteen years. He could start tomorrow by purchasing a completely new wardrobe and creating a completely new look. He had more than enough gold in his vaults to finance a complete makeover. Once that was done and he was once more at Hogwarts he could start on his quest to befriend the Slytherins and, more importantly, the Malfoys. He would also cease hiding his preference for male company rather than female company.

The people most likely to create problems because of his new persona were the Weasleys, the Order, and Hermione. He did hope that finally coming out of the closet might persuade Mrs. Weasley to stop trying to fix him up with Ginny. Harry felt his new tail shifting in agitation at the thought that the older Weasley boys might also have issues with his true self.

He had developed a great friendship with the Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George. In fact, they were more like brothers to him now than anything else and he was even closer to them than he could ever be to Ron. They liked the false him, but he didn't know what he would do if they rejected the real him. If they did then he would have to find some way to move past it because, as much as it would hurt, he was no longer going to hide or try to change who he was – not for anybody. He was tired of trying to please everyone but himself.

Despite all of his worries there was one person who he knew would stand by him and love him no matter what – Sirius. Sirius would be the first to know, so before Harry went shopping tomorrow he would sit Sirius down and explain everything to him. With that decided Harry was finally able to drift off into an exhausted slumber.

**A/N**: Thank you for reading. All reviews or constructive criticisms are welcome. I will hopefully have the next chapter up soon.

Egyptian name Akhekh is one of the names of the mystical Serpent of Evil.


	2. Chapter 2: Brand New Day

**A/N: **Remus addresses Harry as Cub, and Sirius calls him pup.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter.

**Chapter 2: Brand New Day**

Harry crept cautiously down the stairway the next morning as he listened to Sirius and Remus move about in the kitchen. He took a deep breath and paused for a moment to calm his nerves. He could feel himself shaking slightly, but he knew that he needed to get the conversation over with or he might never tell them. He gave himself a silent pep talk before continuing on down the stairs and into the kitchen.

As soon as Harry pushed through the door to the kitchen he was pounced upon by Sirius whose attention was immediately drawn to the brand new cat ears situated on top of his head. Sirius gazed at the twitching black ears in wonder as his hand slowly rose up to softly stroke them.

"Neko?"

Harry willed his wings to emerge and a large grin stretched across his face as he replied. "Ichobas actually."

"Wow, Cub, they're impressive." Remus finally broke out from his stunned silence.

"Of course they are. After all, they are attached to Harry."

Harry smiled up at Sirius in gratitude and drew his wings back into his body. He figured if he was going to do this he had better get started before he chickened out. Harry opened his mouth but quickly shut it again in worry. He started wringing his hands and pacing which caused Sirius' hand to be dislodged from his hair. Sirius reached out and pulled him into a comforting hug.

"What is it, Pup?"

"You can tell us anything, Cub. What's the matter?"

"Would – would you two sit with me for a second? I'd like to talk to you about a few things."

"Of course, Harry. Why don't I fix us some hot cocoa?"

"Okay."

A few short minutes later Harry was sitting at the kitchen table with his godfathers across from him while he stalled for time by stirring the already perfectly mixed steaming mug of chocolate. When he finally risked glancing up from the mug he could see the trace of worry that clouded both of their eyes.

"There's something I need to tell you, and I need for you to not say anything until I've finished." Both men looked at each other and then nodded to Harry in agreement.

"Ever since I was first introduced to the wizarding world I've had to act like someone I'm not. I'm expected to be the perfect Gryffindor golden boy, and I've tried my best to live up to that expectation regardless of my own feelings on the matter. Everyone saw me as their savior; even though I was nothing more than a baby when Voldemort was first defeated. That mistaken impression has led to me being forced to do things that no one my age should even have to think about. Starting from the first moment I met Dumbledore he has drilled into me that I was the only person who could possibly prevail against the dangers that have plagued Hogwarts since my first year. I've always done my duty to protect the castle and its inhabitants; although, I've never understood how I, a young inexperienced boy, could possibly be more adept at such a task than Dumbledore, the Hogwarts staff, the Order, and the Aurors combined." Harry paused to catch his breath and sip his cocoa before continuing.

"Year after year, I've been forced to risk my life in battle against a violent psychopath. Each time that I was lucky enough to have things turn out in my favor I have been showered with meaningless adulation by people more than willing to turn their backs on me and assume the worst at the slightest provocation. I've spent my entire life under a magnifying glass and my every move has been published for entertainment in the nightly news.

I'm tired of it, and I can't take it anymore. Coming into this inheritance, both magical and creature, has given me the strength I needed to take charge of my life. I'm going to stop playing up to the persona society expects of me and recreate my image to reflect who I truly am. "

Both men remained silent, but Remus placed his hand over Harry's on the table and Sirius moved next to Harry to resume stroking his ears.

"I don't trust Dumbledore, and I haven't for a while now. I refuse to continue blindly following his word as though it were gospel. Most of my friendships are fallacies that have been arranged by him in order to keep me in line and further support my facade. I'm going to start building up the friendships that I've always wanted, and always been forbidden to have. I want to know, with absolute certainty, that I'm surrounded by people who are loyal to me and like me for who I am and not for my fame or fortune."

Harry looked up into their eyes and confided a secret only he knew. "When I arrived at Hogwarts for my first year Dumbledore advised me that if I wanted to have any chance of surviving the year I needed to be sorted into Gryffindor. The hat was going to place me in Slytherin, but I believed Dumbledore so I asked to be placed in Gryffindor. As soon as the new term starts I intend to demand I be re-sorted into my rightful house." He heard them gasp in anger and outrage but continued on to the most difficult portion of his speech. He wasn't sure what he would do if they didn't react well to what he had to say.

"Now that I am a submissive Ichobas I will require a dominant partner to keep me safe and happy. Everyone expects me to marry Ginny and settle down into a life I don't want, but it won't work. There is no way I could ever marry Ginny…or any other woman. I prefer men. This is not a phase, or me experimenting. I've always liked males more than females and that's not going to change. You may not be able to understand it right now, but I hope that someday you will be able to accept it – be able to accept me."

Harry slumped back into his seat as he finally came to the end of his lengthy speech. Although he was worried about their reaction to his news, he was also relieved that it was all out in the open now. He had bared some of his most closely guarded secrets and there was no taking it back. A tense silence pervaded the room and Harry's trepidation deepened with each tick of the large grandfather clock that stood in the corner of the room. Just as Harry was about to bolt Sirius broke the silence.

"Merlin, Pup! How could you not know?"

"Huh?"

"There is no way you being gay would bother us. Remus and I have been together since we were fifth year students at Hogwarts. We didn't know how you felt about gay relationships, so we have made sure not to be too intimate in front of you just in case it made you uncomfortable. I didn't realize that you had no clue we were together."

"Really."

"Really, Cub. As for the rest of your speech, I want you to know that there is nothing you could do to make us stop loving you. You will always be our cub, and all we've ever wanted is for you to be happy. You do whatever you feel is necessary and we'll stand behind you one-hundred percent. We have complete faith in you." Harry rose from his chair and pulled his godfathers into another long hug as he fought the urge to cry.

"Aww, don't cry, Pup. Listen, why don't we finish our hot chocolate and then go get your school supplies. While we're at it we'll shop for a completely new wardrobe for a completely new you. It'll be my treat."

"Okay, that sounds like fun." Harry sat back down and resumed sipping from his mug as he contemplated how differently everything could have turned out.

**A/N:** Sorry it's a little bit short, but I couldn't make the shopping scene come together the way I wanted it to so I scrapped it from the chapter. The next chapter will be a bit of a time jump to the beginning of the term.

Please Review. I welcome all constructive criticism.


	3. Chapter 3: Gravity

**A/N:** Thanks everyone for the great reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I will be explaining the mechanics of Harry being able to conceive in one of the upcoming chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter

**Chapter 3: Gravity**

The train ride back to Hogwarts was thankfully uneventful due to Harry's newfound ease with wards, for he only needed to visualize what wards he required and they shimmered into existence seconds later. He had yet to confront Ron and Hermione about the true nature of their friendship, but he wasn't in any rush to do so either. Just imagining their adamant denials and false pledges of loyalty was enough to give him a headache.

It was hard to say when he first realized something had gone wrong with their friendship, there were numerous little hints over the years that he always chose to ignore. Now that he knew the truth about their actions he wasn't able to say with any certainty that they had ever had a true friendship. They were players and he was a pawn, just another piece for Dumbledore to manipulate in the game of life.

The moment that truly destroyed his every illusion of their association was right before Christmas. Harry, who had just returned to the common room after a quick flight to relieve the building frustration from their failure to permanently rid the world of the uh-oh Oreo called Moldy Fart, had overheard a conversation between his two friends that rocked him to his core. His best friends, the two people who had been there through every single life threatening moment of the last five-and-a-half years, were immersed in a heated discussion about which of them should receive the majority of his assets when he inevitable died in battle. He remained frozen in place listening to their mercenary machinations for what seemed like ages before he forced himself to turn and leave the common room once more. He remembered heading straight to the room of requirement where he ended up analyzing every conversation they'd ever had until the sun fell and rose again on a new day.

Harry had begun pulling away from them after that day, not that they noticed or cared. Now there was nothing left of the once golden trio, and Hermione and Ron had not spoken to him since Riddle had been defeated. He did know that the two of them would be hanging all over him and once again pretending to be his friends in a pathetic attempt to soak up every last drop of fame-by-association that they possibly could. Well, he refused to let them. He was going to demand to be sorted again when they got to the castle, and once he was firmly ensconced in Slytherin they would no longer want anything to do with him. They might even go so far as to accuse him of turning dark.

To shake off his depressing thoughts Harry pulled out The Comprehensive Guide to Being an Ichobas, which Remus had bought for him at Flourish and Blotts during their shopping trip earlier that week. The majority of the text was dedicated to firsthand accounts of living as, or with, an Ichobas. The rest of it consisted of facts and figures, as well as the history of the Ichobas gene. Harry flipped to the beginning of the firsthand accounts and started reading, the world around him faded as he lost himself in the tales.

The sudden scream of the whistle as the train arrived at the Hogsmead station startled him so much that he ended up leaping from his seat with his wings stretched out wide behind him in response to the perceived threat. His tail puffed up, along with all of the hair on his body, making him appear to have stuck his finger in a light socket. Harry took a few minutes to calm himself down so that he could retract his wings. He then retrieved his book from the floor where it had fallen, placed it back in his trunk, dismantled the wards, and finally departed the train.

Harry kept watch for his former friends as he made his way through the throng of people milling around the carriages. Just as he arrived at the boarding area he heard Hermione's strident tone not too far away and quickly dove into the nearest carriage. Unfortunately he accidentally caught his foot on the edge of the frame and ended up sprawled face down across the lap of the current occupant.

A blush spread over him as he raised his head to look into the amused gaze of Draco Malfoy.

"Errm...Hi." He stammered nervously.

"I always knew that you would fall for me, Potter." The soft rumble of Draco's voice sent unfamiliar sensations shooting through Harry, making his blush deepen another degree.

The downfall of a certain maniacal oppressor had had an obvious effect on Draco. He looked more at peace and unguarded than Harry had ever seen him before. In addition to that were the physical changes – Draco would always be fair skinned, but his skin now sported a noticeable tan that greatly enhanced the already captivating beauty of his liquid silver eyes. The muscles in his lean body were now more defined than they were the previous year, and Harry was pressed so close against Draco that he could feel the play of those muscles with every breath Draco took. The sensation was intoxicating and Harry surprised himself by letting out a soft purr.

The jerk of the carriage as it started to move broke Harry from his daze and made him realize that he had been lounging across Draco's lap for a few minutes while he checked him out. Draco now bore a bemused expression as they peered into each other's eyes while the carriage rocked gently as it traveled onward. The reality of the situation finally hit Harry, he was now trapped with Draco until they arrived at Hogwarts in an hour's time.

Harry tried to scramble off his lap but only suffered more embarrassment when Draco had to grab him to prevent him from falling. All rational thought left him6, he let out an animalistic cry of frustration and started struggling against Draco's lap. Draco clutched him tighter in response and started stroking him from his head down to his lower back.

"Hush now, my little cat. It's alright. It might be best if you stay right where you are and get some rest considering how clumsy you currently seem to be."

Harry stilled and tilted his head in confusion. He had been hoping that he would finally be able to befriend Draco this year, but figured it would take some fancy footwork to make that happen. He had doubted he'd even be able to get Draco to remain in his presence long enough for it to be remotely possible. Now here he was, held in place on Draco's lap while the older boy gently caressed him.

Although he fought it for as long as he could, the constant soothing motion of Draco's hand was starting to lull him to sleep, and inevitably he succumbed to temptation.

* * *

><p>Draco was amazed at the sight of a sleeping Harry Potter cuddled snugly in his lap. He was quite positive that he must still be asleep in his bed, and at any moment he would awaken from this sweet dream to the nightmarish reality of his family manor that still seemed to echo with maniacal laughter. The manor had been host to Voldemort for the last year of the war, so the downfall of the Dark Lord had been a huge relief for the Malfoy family.<p>

Although the Dark Lord was using Malfoy Manor as his headquarters, Lucius Malfoy was not a true believer a true believer in Voldemort or his beliefs and so he was not negatively affected by the Dark Lord's death. Many people believed that Lucius was a cruel man who tortured others for fun, but Draco knew that his father was actually very warm and loving. When Draco had returned home for Christmas break during his first year at Hogwarts his father had called him into the library for a conversation that set the course of his life until Harry triumphed last year.

_"Son, I know you have never understood why I instructed you to act so cruel and pompous when you're in public or at school, and I now believe that you are finally old enough for me to explain it fully. My parents raised me to believe that we Malfoys were better than everyone else, and though I did not agree with that sentiment I let my parents mold me into the visage of the person they wanted me to be._

_You see my father, Abraxas, was a cold man who met disagreement with the back of his hand, so I acted as they wished while silently vowing never to make my son suffer as I did. Unfortunately that was not a vow that I could completely satisfy. Son I know how hard it must be on you to hide who you truly are from the world, but believe me that it is the only option right now. _

_When I was about fifteen my father started talking about an extremely ingenious pureblood who was going to change the wizarding world for the better. I did not pay much mind to it at first, but when I came home that summer Abraxas told me that I was to be conscripted into Lord Voldemort's group of followers known as Death Eaters. For the first time since I was a young boy I refused to bend to Abraxas' will. When I woke up two days later I had seven broken bones, three cracked ribs, and that repulsive mark upon my arm._

_After that I was under the control of the mark but I was lucky to be strong enough to hold fast to my beliefs. You are going to hear people label me a murderer and they will be correct. However, what most people don't realize, is that I used my talent for legilimency to ensure that I only ever took the lives of those who had done evil themselves, such as rapists and murderers. I refused to participate in any other Death Eater activities, which only served to raise me higher in the Dark Lord's esteem._

_This brings us back to why I wanted to talk to you. When the Dark Lord fell I knew deep inside that he was likely return one day to once again wreak havoc on our world, and there have been many whispers of late that indicate his return is imminent. I am considered his right hand man, and it is because of this that we must act in a certain way to ensure our safety. There are many in the Dark Lord's ranks who would love to see me cast out and themselves placed in my position. This is why you must act so in contrast to your true personality whenever you're not at home._

_There is only one person in the world who has any chance of defeating the Dark Lord and that's Harry Potter. I know that you've had a fascination with him since you were a young boy, and you probably would have become friends if he hadn't been alienated by your public persona from the moment you met. I must ask you to not do anything to change the situation, in fact it might be best if you encouraged him to become your enemy. When the Dark Lord returns he will be intent upon Mr. Potter's death, and if you're a known ally of the boy then everything in his power to abuse that connection. If you somehow manage to resist his wishes it will mean our death. He will then use some kind of ruse to bring the boy to your aid and into his grasp. I fear that, if he manages to kill Mr. Potter, there will be no hope left for the wizarding world. As I said I hate to ask this of you, but I'm sure you understand why the restrictions I have placed upon you are so vital."_

Draco had heeded his father's word, and his rivalry with Potter raged on relentlessly. At some indeterminate point in the last six years Draco's fascination with Harry had morphed into affection, and then love. With that love came heartbreak every time Draco saw hatred burning in Harry's eyes. Yet Draco continued to encourage Harry's disfavor because it allowed him to be close to Harry. As much as he despised the emotion behind it, he lived for the moments when all of that fire and passion was directed solely at him. During these moments the rest of the world faded away and they were each the center of the other's universe.

Draco scratched behind the two furry black ears that sprouted from the top of Harry's head, smiling when the boy purred loudly in his sleep and snuggled deeper into his embrace. The Dark Lord was no longer an issue which meant Draco could finally be who he truly was, and he was going to take full advantage of that fact. Harry was obviously part neko so Draco was going to make sure that Harry's creature instincts imprinted on him. Now that Draco finally had Harry in his arms he was _never_ going to let him go.

**A/N: ** I am not completely happy with this chapter, so please review and let me know what you think. All constructive criticism is welcomed.


	4. Chapter 4: Time to Face the Strange

**A/N:** Sorry for not updating sooner, I have been extremely busy with work and the holidays. I appreciate all of my reviewers and followers. I may not always respond directly to your reviews, but I do read every one of them. I have set up a Facebook page exclusively for my fan fiction updates which can be found under the username LunasaCailinMactire. Please friend me to get current updates on my stories and ask me any questions. This chapter is very short, but I wanted to get another update out due to the time since my last one. I am currently working on the next chapter which will pick up where this on leaves off. I plan to explain how the mpreg is possible and provide a flashback of Harry's shopping trip. Just to clarify – Harry is still wearing his old clothes at this point, and his new wardrobe will not be revealed until after he is resorted.

**Chapter 4: Time to Face the Strange**

Harry awoke from his nap still cuddled on Draco's lap. Draco didn't seem to have a problem with it so Harry decided he was much too comfortable at the moment to worry about moving. He twisted himself around until he was sitting upright in Draco's lap with his head resting on Draco's shoulder and his tail curled tightly around himself. He snuggled himself in tightly and barely restrained the purr that seemed to be second nature around the other boy.

"Should I be worried? Is this some sort of 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' type thing?"

"Wha'?"

"Are you certain you're really Draco Malfoy? You aren't his good twin? The Draco Malfoy I know would sooner torture me than embrace me. Not that I'm averse to the change – obviously."

"I'm the same Draco Malfoy you've known for six years. Without the Dark Lord looming over me I'm finally able to act like myself, but that is a conversation best reserved for another time. Personally, I am curious as to why you're hiding in here with me instead of basking in your glory with your two Gryffindor Lackeys."

"That too is a tale better suited to when we have more time. In the meantime – truce?" Harry asked, extending his hand in a manner reminiscent of the incident at the beginning at their first year. Draco grasped it quickly to prevent Harry from reconsidering the offer.

"Truce for now, but in time – hopefully more." Draco said sincerely. A light blush covered Harry's cheeks as he nodded his head in acknowledgment.

When they arrived at the castle both boys reluctantly parted to join their respective houses and watch the sorting of the first years. Harry kept his head down and waited silently for the sorting to finish so that he could make his move.

"Zach Zachariah Zachmann." McGonagall called out the name of the last boy to be sorted and Harry took that as his cue. As soon as the new Ravenclaw hopped off the stool Harry stood and made his way up the center aisle of the great hall and came to a stop in front of his current head of house.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Potter?"

"I need to correct a mistake that was made on my very first day in this school."

"What mistake are you talking about Mr. Potter?"

"Hmmm, it makes sense that you are uncertain when you take into consideration the sheer number of mistakes that I have endured during my tenure. However, I am currently referring to the fact that I was coerced into following a path that I was not meant to." Harry raised his voice slightly so that he could ensure everyone in the room could hear him clearly. Although he didn't care what people thought of him, he still didn't want rumors of events to escalate to the point where the Daily Prophet would publish a story about him mud-wrestling purple heffalumps and woozles in the middle of the great hall.

"Before I was placed under the sorting hat in my first year I was told that I needed to do everything I could to secure myself a place in Gryffindor or I would very likely not live to see the end of year feast."

"That's outrageous! Who told you an absurd tale like that?"

"Our much esteemed headmaster – Albus Dumbledore." The entire hall broke into furious whispers. Bumblebore stood up and clapped his hands together once in a call for silence.

"Is this true Albus?" McGonagall asked in horror. She gained points with Harry for not automatically dismissing his story. The years had obviously taught her that, despite how far-fetched it might seem, Harry did not lie about matters as serious as this one.

The silence of the hall after McGonagall's outburst was almost deafening in its contrast to the loud whispers that filled the hall just moments before.

"Mr. Potter is correct Minerva."

"Why Albus?"

"It is of little importance. The boy was always destined to be in Gryffindor house."

"That's where you're wrong - I was destined for something far greater than that. There was a house within which I would have truly excelled."

"I don't know who has been filling your head with these lies, but you would have died if not for the loyal support of your fellow lions."

"That's bullshit!"

"Language, Mr. Potter."

"I apologize Professor McGonagall – for my language and the information I am about to unveil." Harry took a deep breath and steeled himself for the hurt that would accompany his next revelation.

"Go on then Mr. Potter, you are keeping us from our dinner and it is not appreciated."

"Be quiet, old man. You can survive missing a meal – actually it would probably be best if you did. Unless you're hoping to surpass Santa's bowl full of jelly that is."

"You will show me the respect I deserve or you will face the consequences."

"I _am_ showing you the respect you deserve. You have done nothing but use and manipulate me since the day my parents were murdered."

Dumbledore's face betrayed his surprise. "Now Harry..."

"Did you think that I wouldn't figure it out? You took me from my destroyed home and placed me with a family that you knew would mistreat me. You placed a person loyal to you in a nearby home and sat back to watch the story unfold. The plan was for me to be so starved for affection by my relatives that I would be easier to control, and I will admit that it worked for a few years." Harry paced a bit before walking straight up to Dumbledore

"I'm done. I want you to back off and let me live my life the way I always should have been able to. You will not interfere in any way, and you will not talk to me unless it is for educational purposes. Do I make myself clear?"

Dumbledore nodded his head in stunned agreement. Harry turned away from him and walked backed over to McGonagall.

"I wish to be resorted into my proper house."

"Mr. Potter there is no guarantee that the hat will agree to resort you."

"All I ask for, Professor, is the opportunity. I realize that I am no longer the same person that I was when I was eleven, but I also need you to realize that I am not the person that you have tried to mold me into being."

"What of your friends? Do you not wish to remain with them for your final year?"

"It is true that I have some friends within Gryffindor house; although, not those that you would expect." Harry turned towards Gryffindor table and raked a scathing look over Hermione and the Weasleys before nodding in acknowledgement at Neville, Dean, and Seamus. "I have been made aware of the fact that there are those within the loyal house of Gryffindor who have manipulated their way into positions of trust with me for the sole purpose of being the recipients of my substantial estate when I inevitably perish in battle. As that is no longer an option I daresay that their friendship shall soon fade. In addition, they are so narrow of mind that I know they will never be able to accept me and my new inheritance." Hermione, Ron, and Ginny turned a deep red and bent their heads together to start whispering to each other, occasionally lifting their heads to glare at Harry.

"I am sorry to hear that, Mr. Potter. It appears as though you have taken everything into consideration, so I shall grant you your chance. I hope it turns out the way you wish it to." She turned and gestured with her hand for Harry to sit on the sorting stool and don the hat.

AN: I have set up a Facebook page exclusively for my fan fiction updates which can be found under the username LunasaCailinMactire. The continuation of this chapter will hopefully be posted soon if everything settles down like it's supposed to.


	5. Chapter 5: A New Reality

_**Disclaimer:**_** I Do Not Own Harry Potter**

_**A/N:**_** Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and I hope you all enjoy the newest chapter. In atonement for the shortness of chapter 4, chapter 5 is the longest yet.**

**Chapter 5: A New Reality**

"_Ahhh, young Mr. Potter, I daresay I can guess the reason for this meeting." _

"_I believe you can. I should not have doubted you."_

"_No you shouldn't have, but that is all in the past. You __**are**__ here to correct it?"_

"_I am."_

"_I must warn you that things will be changing for you very soon."_

"_If you haven't noticed from the ears – things have already changed for me."_

"_You have yet to complete your transformation. When this current state of transition comes to an end your world will change in ways you will not expect. You were given a text on the matter, and I would suggest you read it as soon as you can."_

"_I will."_

"_Good. Now on to the sorting. I told you when we first met that Slytherin was the best place for you and I still stand by that conviction. Are you ready to trust in my judgment?"_

"_Yes."_

"_In that case_….SLYTHERIN!"

The entire hall erupted into an uproar, with the Slytherins cheering and the Gryffindors (primarily Hermione, Ron, and Ginny) hurling insults and protests. Harry took the opportunity to slip off the stool and out of the hall where he made his way towards the dungeons which housed his new common room.

When he reached the entrance to the Slytherin common rooms Snape suddenly appeared beside him causing him to gasp in surprise. "I didn't hear you, Professor."

"Indeed. I do hope that your powers of observation will improve now that you have joined our proud house."

"I'll do my best, sir."

"Slytherins value ambition, cleverness, cunning, and resourcefulness. Be prepared to be at your best in all capacities now that you are a representative of Slytherin house. Follow me to your new quarters."

Harry was comfortably settled on his bed behind his curtains scant minutes later with The Comprehensive Guide to Being an Ichobas spread open on the bed in front of him. The hat claimed his transformation was not yet complete and Harry was eager to discover what he could expect over the next few months. He flipped through the book until he came to the third section which was supposed to cover the transition period.

_The first four months after an Ichobas receives their inheritance they will go through a period of transition. Due to the rarity of these creatures there is not much known about this stage, but it is believed that the purpose of the transition is to allow the Ichobas time to settle into their inheritance before they meet and accept their mate. During this time the Ichobas will be much more aggressive than usual, and in many cases a submissive Ichobas will become very dominant. Only a submissive's dominate mate will be able to calm them during their transition. (Information on Mating and Pregnancy available in section 5)_

Harry realized the courage he'd been displaying since he came into his inheritance was likely the result of him being in the first four months of his transformation. This worried him because he did not want to become unable to stand up for himself once his transition was over at the end of November. The rest of the section was filled with third person accounts of how Ichobas acted during the first four months so Harry skipped ahead and turned to the fifth section of his book.

_At the end of the fourth month transition the submissive will begin to subconsciously search for his/her dominant mate. Ichobas use smell to identify their mate and once found they mate for life. Mates are predestined and cannot be chosen or forced. Once the mating has been accepted and completed the submissive will begin their breeding cycle. _

_An Ichobas' fertility is determined by the lunar calendar. A submissive is only able to become pregnant during a full or new moon and will likely experience an extreme spike in libido during these times. It is believed that an Ichobas and their mate will remain in their den for the duration of these lunar cycles to increase their chances of conception._

_The gestation cycle of an Ichobas is three to four months. Ichobas will have a maximum of four kits per clutch. _

_A male Ichobas will grow a temporary magical womb when pregnant, and will require an operation to remove the kits from the womb when he is ready to birth. The magic around the womb stabilizes the pregnancy and reduces the chances of miscarriage. Once the kits are born the Ichobas will spend a maximum of two weeks in seclusion to bond with their young._

Harry closed the book and tossed it to the side. He wasn't ready to have a mate, and he didn't even want to think about being pregnant. Although, it might be nice to have a family that would love him unconditionally. Yes, he had Remus and Sirius, but it wasn't the same. They were his fathers and so he did his best to not disappoint them in any way. Some days he would find himself going over everything he said to them and worrying how they might have interpreted it. Living with the Dursleys for so many years had left him with almost non-existent self-confidence and an obsessive need to please the people important to him.

He longed for someone he could relax and be himself with – whether it was singing badly at the top of his lungs or lounging around all day in his underwear. Someone to whom he could confide his deepest thoughts and fears without worry, and who would confide theirs in him. Someone who didn't mind lending him a shoulder to cry on. A strong, well-muscled shoulder attached to an even stronger chest with firm abs and… Harry quickly cut his mental ramblings off and banished the tempting image of a familiar blond boy when he realized the direction his thoughts were taking.

He let go of his tail which he had absentmindedly been stroking and got up to hide his book back in his trunk. He had just finished placing a complex layering of wards on his trunk when a small golden object came zooming into the room. The rest of the world faded away as his focus narrowed in on the pretty sparkling ball fluttering around the room. He wanted that shiny for himself and he was going to have it. No matter what.

His body sank into a crouch his wings sprouted from his back as he prepared to capture his prey. The ball stopped for a split-second and then shot out of the room with the determined Ichobas hot on its tail.

He followed it through a common room full of astonished Slytherins and darted out of the portrait hole in hot pursuit, accidentally knocking down Professor Snape who had just been reentering the common room.

"Come back here Potter, you insufferable menace! How dare you! 60 points from Gryffindor and a month of detention!"

Harry ignored his irate head of house and continued on with his pursuit, without even considering taking a pause to remind the professor that he could no longer lose points for Gryffindor. All that mattered was the little golden ball. Surely Snape would understand once Harry captured his prize and brought it back; after all, it was soooo shiny.

Harry's chase led him from the dungeons to the gargoyle on the seventh floor where the snitch disappeared inside an amused Dumbledore's beard. Harry didn't stop to reconsidering as he pounced on the headmaster and dug through the man's voluminous beard to retrieve his treasure. Once he had the snitch clasped tightly in his palm he retreated to the wall across from the gargoyle to fawn over it.

"Ah, there you are Harry. I must say that I am glad the snitch successfully retrieved you." Harry let out a warning hiss at Dumbledore's words causing the old man to blink in shock and halt his advance towards Harry. "You can, of course, keep that for your troubles."

"I do believe that, not even two hours ago, I warned you about interfering in my life. You better have a satisfactory reason or I will carve you up and eat you raw." Harry said brandishing a clawed hand. His creature side was still too close to the surface after his chase through the castle to worry about censoring himself.

"Yes, well…You have some guests waiting in my office, pixie sticks."

For a second Harry thought Dumbledore was foolishly insulting him until the gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office scraped open. Harry gestured Dumbledore to proceed ahead of him with an insolent wave of his now clawless hand. "After you, Gandalf."

Upon entering the office Harry was besieged by a horde of red headed Weasleys who seemed intent on smothering the life out of him. He yowled in distress and summoned his wings to free him from the mass of bodies.

"Wicked Harry! You'll have to –"

"Take us flying mate!"

Harry calmed down when he realized the mass of red heads were actually Fred, George, Charlie, and Bill. He lowered himself to the ground about five feet away from the others and willed his wings back into him.

"Harry, would it -"

"Yes, Charlie."

"How do you know what I was going to ask?"

"You're a dragon fanatic and, even though I have no dragon blood in me, I know that you are just itching for a chance to study my wings."

Charlie looked down and mumbled "I wouldn't say I was a fanatic."

"Well you're the only one. Nevertheless you are welcome to look your fill, but I think it might be best if we saved that for another time. While I am happy to see you again, I do not believe you came all the way over here at this time of night just to say hello."

"Quite right, Harry. Charlie and the twins overheard a rather disturbing conversation between our parents about a letter they received from darling Ronald. Apparently you have decided take the dark side up on its offer of cookies."

Harry looked at Bill with trepidation - this was what he had been fearing, his favorite Weasleys had found out that he had switched houses and were going to wash their hands of him.

Dumbledore cleared his throat awkwardly and slowly inched closer to the door before quickly darting out of the room. The Weasley brothers maintained their serious faces for a few more seconds before they all burst out in uncontrolled laughter.

"Finally! We thought –"

"he'd never leave."

"Oh relax, Harry. We don't care if you've decided to become the next dark lord, you're our brother and you'll always be our brother."

"In fact we've decided to swap out Ron for you, and I must say that we're getting a bloody good deal."

"I'm not trying to be the next dark lord, I'm just trying to be me."

"We're proud of you Harry, all we really wanted to do tonight was let you know that you still have our support – no matter what the rest of our idiot family does."

Harry felt a weight lift from his shoulders at their sincere words and he flung himself towards the Weasley boys who quickly wrapped him up in a tight group hug. The embrace seemed to last for hours before they finally pulled away from each other and said their goodbyes.

_**A/N:**_** Please take the time to review and let me know what you think or ask any questions you might have. Feel free to friend me on my Facebook account that have set up exclusively for my fanfiction. facebook/**_**LunasaCailinMactire**_


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